Not a lot of fluffiness in here though... I tried! Sorry if there's any OOCness...and sorry for lack of fluffiness!!!!!!!!! And I was lacking imagination so I had Haruhi choose hotpot XP

ITSUKI YUKI!! I'M OBSESSED WITH THEM RIGHT NOW!! asdlnjedme!!! -Spazzes out-

I do not own the characters in here, nor do I own The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

I hope I didn't make too many grammatical or spelling errors o.o" If I did, I beg your pardon!!!!!!!!

R&R! And Enjoy!!!

'Tis Mistletoe Season

Itsuki x Yuki

It was all peaceful in the Literature Club room, where the SOS Brigade members – besides the chief – were all seated in the room.

Kyon and Itsuki were having another one of their board game matches, Mikuru was just brewing up some tea, while Yuki sat at her usual seat, her eyes completely glued to the hardback book that lay on her lap.

Just as one might think the day might go peacefully and perhaps without a lot of activity, the door suddenly slammed open. "Sorry I'm late!"

Haruhi was standing at the doorway, her schoolbag hanging loosely from her shoulder, while carrying a cardboard box and couple of plastic bags Everyone, except Yuki, turned to stare at the grinning brown-headed headband-wearing girl. Kyon wondered what she had been up to.

Haruhi plopped everything she was holding onto the table, the grin still pasted on her face. "What's up?" Kyon said, leaning over to see what was in the box and bag. Itsuki and Mikuru did the same.

"Christmas decorations?" Kyon suddenly said in disbelief.

"Exactly!" Haruhi said. "I don't suppose any of you have any plans for Christmas Eve?" She pointed to each of the members in turn. "Koizumi-kun?"

Itsuki, smiling his god damn plastic smile, shook his head. "It would be glorious for me to have something planned out for Christmas Eve, but unfortunately, I do not," He said, sighing dramatically.

"Mikuru-chan?"

"Eh? Eh...I...I don't think I have any... N-no, I don't..." Mikuru stammered, as if she was afraid Haruhi might leap at her if she even accidentally said she might have something planned.

"What about Yu-"

"None." Yuki replied instantly, her gaze still fixed on her book.

Haruhi then turned her gaze towards Kyon. "What about you, Kyon?" She asked, this time with an edge as if she'd throw a blizzard at him if he said he did have plans.

"How do you know I would've have any?" Kyon challenged.

Haruhi narrowed her gaze at Kyon, crossing her arms, and frowning. She looked like an impatient and really strict teacher who was waiting for a student to tell her that his dog did not eat his homework.

Kyon placed his chin on his hand and grunted, "Fine, I don't have any plans."

Haruhi instantly grinned in satisfaction. "Alright! Well, I don't have any plans either so we'd be spending our Christmas Eve here! In the club room!" She declared. "Also, I have already bought a few things we'd need for decorations and such." She added before anyone could protest.

Haruhi grabbed the box and tipped the contents out of it, then she took the bags and flipped them over, so everything inside dropped onto the table.

Out came spray-on snow, gold and silver lace, crackers, a miniature tree, white cotton, Christmas lights, wreathes, red-and-green banners, a fake twig of mistletoe, a tapestry of the Alps, wind-up snowmen, thick candle stands, huge Christmas stockings, CDs of Christmas songs...

"Those are a lot of things..." Kyon muttered.

"Yep! And since Christmas Eve is just next week, we'll need to start preparations quickly! Also, what do you think we should have in here?" Haruhi said.

Everybody, except Yuki, exchanged glances but no one answered.

"Well, why don't we go with last year's idea? Hotpot!" Haruhi said, slamming her hands onto the table.

Kyon remembered. It was the time when Haruhi and Itsuki disappeared...Mikuru didn't know him...and Yuki had emotions...and...well, he didn't want to think about it.

Kyon was also surprised that Haruhi would go with last year's idea. He didn't think she would repeat an idea. But perhaps since it was a once-a-year thing, Haruhi wouldn't consider it repetitive.

"It's decided?" Haruhi glanced around. Nobody objected. "Alright then! We already have the pot and a portable stove. I might bring some gas cans in case we run out..."

"S-Suzumiya-san?"

"Yes, Mikuru-chan?"

"I...Is it possible if I invited Tsuruya-san as well?" Mikuru offered timidly.

Haruhi replied, "Of course! The more the merrier!" Mikuru brightened a little when Haruhi agreed.

--

The next day, everybody was busy in the Club room. Even Tsuruya was there, although it seemed she and Haruhi were busy chatting besides helping out.

"So you really are having hotpot here?"

"Yes! Just like last year's idea! It would be fun to do it again!"

"I can bring some food as well!"

"That'd be great, Tsuruya-san!"

Itsuki helped Kyon attach the red-and-green banners on the ceiling by passing him the material while Kyon received it and attached it while standing on a chair which was standing on the table.

While Kyon stick the last of the banners, Itsuki glanced around the room. Tsuruya-san was still chatting with Haruhi, who occasionally yelled at Kyon that he was sticking the banners the wrong way, Mikuru was decorating the miniature tree with the gold and silver laze, looking quite happy. Finally, his gaze rested on Yuki, who for once wasn't reading a book. She was standing at the edge of the table where all the decorations were, and she was staring at the fake twig of mistletoe in her hand.

Seeing the curious look in her eyes, while maintaining a expressionless face, Itsuki went over to the light-purple haired girl. "Why are you staring at this, Nagato-san?" He asked.

Itsuki half-expected the alien-girl to ignore him, but after a brief moment of silence, Yuki looked up at him and said, "...What is this?"

Itsuki glanced at the mistletoe in her hand and smiled. "It's mistletoe. You hang it up, commonly on ceilings."

"...Mistletoe..." Yuki echoed, so silently Itsuki thought she had said nothing.

"Yes, according to a custom of Christmas cheer, any male and female who meet under a hanging of mistletoe are obliged to kiss." Itsuki explained.

Yuki stared at Itsuki for a while, then turned back to the mistletoe. Suddenly, Haruhi jumped over, throwing an arm over Yuki's shoulder. "That's right! Although this wasn't put up last year, it will be put up this year! Don't you think it's romantic? One would be very very lucky if they finds themselves under the mistletoe with the person they love!" Haruhi said, adding a dreamy sigh.

"Oh! That is correct, Harunyan!" Tsuruya chipped in.

Itsuki chuckled in amusement. Yuki didn't reply. "It's very romantic." Mikuru remarked with a sigh, looking up from her work, glancing at Yuki.

"...I see..." Yuki murmured.

"Speaking of Mistletoe," Kyon broke in. He had finished with the banners and had gotten off from the chair and table. "You don't expect me to put this up, Haruhi?" He took the mistletoe from Yuki and waved it in front of Haruhi's face.

Haruhi was about to answer when Tsuruya broke in. "We should wait till Christmas Eve before this should be hung up. After all, we don't want anyone to be caught under the mistletoe before the day, right?" She said, grinning.

Haruhi seemed to see the sense to that. "You're right! We'll just put it aside, first!" With that, she snatched the mistletoe from Kyon and tossed it into a drawer.

"S-Suzumiya-san...how does this look like?" Mikuru suddenly stuttered, holding up the mini already-decorated Christmas tree. "Oh! Look's very cute, Mikuru-chan! I just think if you perhaps put this lace just over this bit..." Haruhi turned to Mikuru, fussing over the tree.

Laughing, Tsuruya joined in, leaving poor Mikuru confused but determined to finish the tree.

"Koizumi, don't just stand there and help me hang this gigantic Christmas stockings, will you?" Kyon suddenly said. Itsuki realized he had been standing there and turned to Kyon, and nodded.

While Itsuki helped Kyon with the stockings, he couldn't help but let his gaze wander to Yuki, who continued to study the Christmas decorations curiously.

For the rest of the day, all he could do was let his gaze rest on the Humanoid Interface, while at the same time he didn't allow anyone to see him stare.

Mistletoe, huh?

--

The day finally came. When the last person arrived to the Club room, everything was laid ready. Haruhi had even bought a Santa outfit and made Mikuru wear it.

The night was still and peaceful, but it didn't seem so with all the noise and laughter coming from the Club room.

Haruhi was practically trying to feed Mikuru while molesting her at the same time, while Tsuruya laughed her heart out and Kyon tried to intervene. Yuki was quietly taking a bite from each thing she fished out from the hotpot, as if she was a taste-tester. Itsuki sat in his seat, putting up his plastic smile, commenting and chuckling at the right moments.

Haruhi had already hung up the mistletoe, but nobody was careless enough to wander below it with someone else. It was hung just before the doorway, so if anyone came in with someone already below it, then it'd be time. But so far, nobody had left or entered the Club room.

Itsuki turned from Haruhi, Mikuru and the others and transferred his gaze to Yuki, who continued to eat silently. She looked like she was savoring each bite she took. Itsuki wondered, not for the first time, what was going on inside her head. Does she feel left out? He also wondered if it would be best to strike up a conversation.

But before he could come up with anything, Tsuruya suddenly said, "Oh yeah! I almost forgot! I also brought some cake with me!" "Really? Really?" Haruhi stopped groping Santa Mikuru for a moment and stared at Tsuruya eagerly.

"Yep! Just hold on a second..." Tsuruya went to take something from the shelf and returned with a large box. "Find a space for it on the table, please. It's huge!"

At once, everybody pitched in to stack up the dirty cups and paper plates. But even when they had swept them all onto the side of the table, there still wasn't enough space.

"Oh dang, I think we brought too much stuff. And I don't think there are any space on the other tables and shelves! And the chairs we have are for sitting! The only few extra chairs we have are used for our bags! And I don't want to mess the floor by putting the trash on the floor!" Haruhi said in dismay.

"I'll go find an extra chair or table." Itsuki offered. "That'd be great. Hey, Kyon, go with him." Haruhi said, nodding to Kyon.

Kyon muttered something, casting another glance at Mikuru and Haruhi, in case Haruhi might start sexually harassing Mikuru again, and followed Itsuki out of the room.

When they had closed the door behind them, Kyon suggested their go to the Computer Research Club room. There weren't any available tables, so the two decided to pick a couple of chairs, since there seemed to be many in the room.

Holding one chair each, they returned to the Club room. As they came within earshot, moans and cries sounded from the room, and it sounded like Mikuru. The laughter of Tsuruya and Haruhi were heard too. At once, Kyon ran into the clubroom and once he had dropped his chair, he struggled to pull Haruhi off Mikuru.

One would be very very lucky if they finds themselves under the mistletoe with the person they love!

It's very romantic.

After all, we don't want anyone to be caught under the mistletoe before the day, right?

Itsuki didn't get why those words where echoing inside his head. They were all said when he had been explaining the mistletoe custom to Yuki. Nagato-san...

Shaking his head, Itsuki entered the club room.

At once Tsuruya said, "Stop! Look!" She seemed to be pointing at Itsuki. Haruhi, who had been trying to push Kyon aside from pulling her away from Mikuru, stopped short. Even Kyon and Mikuru followed Haruhi's gaze.

At first Itsuki didn't know why they were all staring at him. Then he realized they weren't just staring at him, they were also staring at Yuki, who had been passing by the doorway to put a dirty paper plate on the chair Kyon had brought in; she just so happened to be in her position when Itsuki entered.

Itsuki glanced around, and felt something on his head. When he looked up, he realized it was the fake twig of mistletoe.

According to a custom of Christmas cheer, any male and female who meet under a hanging of mistletoe are obliged to kiss.

Everyone in the room had their eyes on Itsuki and Yuki, expecting something to happen.

For some reason, Itsuki felt his own heart pounding against his chest rapidly, and his face felt hot all of a sudden. He realized at once that he was blushing. When he glanced down at Yuki, he was sure of that too. Her own cheeks were tinted crimson, seemingly obvious compared to her pale skin.

At once Itsuki knew what he would have to do. He obviously wouldn't be able to get away from this, and apparently he didn't think he had a reason to get away.

"C'mon Koizumi-kun...!" Itsuki heard Haruhi hiss impatiently.

"Yeah! It's part of the custom!" Tsuruya chipped in quietly and teasingly.

"Koizumi-kun? N-Nagato-san?" Mikuru murmured, glancing at the two.

Kyon was just staring, as if he couldn't find anything to say.

Slowly, as if acting unconsciously, Itsuki leaned forward. One of his arm unconsciously coiled around Yuki's waist, and everyone seemed to inhale sharply. Itsuki took not notice, he pulled Yuki closer and pressed his lips against hers. At first Yuki seemed to tense, but she gradually relaxed under his grip.

At once, everybody seemed to let out a breath that all had been holding tightly. Haruhi and Tsuruya both jumped up and cheered, while Mikuru commented admiringly how cute it was, and Kyon looked stunned, and eventually his expression changed to amusement.

As for Itsuki and Yuki, it seemed as though they were lost in their own world, oblivious to their surroundings except each other.

Above them, the plastic mistletoe twig seemed to shine under the bright light of the room.